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Cheapest Networks?
Nostlagic
19-05-2014
I recently bought a mobile from Tesco. Their prices are extortionate, it's like 15p a minute and 25p a text! also unexplained chunks go missing from my credit, and before you know it, my £10 is gone, it's a rip-off. I want to switch networks, is there any others that are more affordable?
jonmorris
19-05-2014
But don't you get loads of Clubcard points (worth about 2p)?
BKM
19-05-2014
Originally Posted by Nostlagic:
“I recently bought a mobile from Tesco. Their prices are extortionate, it's like 15p a minute and 25p a text! also unexplained chunks go missing from my credit, and before you know it, my £10 is gone, it's a rip-off. I want to switch networks, is there any others that are more affordable?”

If you have a 3G phone "3's 321 plan" is hard to beat!

1p/Mb for data
2p per text
3p/minute UK calls

You will need to get the Tesco phone unlocked though!
d123
19-05-2014
Originally Posted by Nostlagic:
“I recently bought a mobile from Tesco. Their prices are extortionate, it's like 15p a minute and 25p a text!”

Tesco PAYG is 10p per text...
hmeister
19-05-2014
Originally Posted by BKM:
“If you have a 3G phone "3's 321 plan" is hard to beat!

1p/Mb for data
2p per text
3p/minute UK calls

You will need to get the Tesco phone unlocked though!”

This.

Three is the best network. Signal can be a bit iffy in some places but the 321 plan and the All In One plans are amazing.
BMR
19-05-2014
What are your needs? Talk ? Text Data or a bit of everything? Do you want to pay per minute or a flat fee per month?
MTUK1
19-05-2014
Originally Posted by BMR:
“What are your needs? Talk ? Text Data or a bit of everything? Do you want to pay per minute or a flat fee per month?”

1 Text???!!
Nostlagic
19-05-2014
Originally Posted by BMR:
“What are your needs? Talk ? Text Data or a bit of everything? Do you want to pay per minute or a flat fee per month?”

Just talking and texting. Not fussed about data as can download all the apps and stuff for free via Wi-Fi at home. Pay as you go would be preferable as i don't use it all that much to justify a subscription fee every month.

Originally Posted by BKM:
“If you have a 3G phone "3's 321 plan" is hard to beat!

1p/Mb for data
2p per text
3p/minute UK calls”

I have a Samsung Galaxy Ace. That's a great deal and exactly the kind of thing i was looking for!

Quote:
“You will need to get the Tesco phone unlocked though!”

Oh damn! i guess that aint cheap?
dearmrman
19-05-2014
Talk Mobile do some cheap tariffs...pay monthly sim only plans start from £5.00 a month and gives 100 mins talk & 100 texts plus a small amount of data or £7.00 a months gets 250 mins & 5000 texts and 500MB data. Think they use the Vodaphone network.
rocketronnie75
19-05-2014
Originally Posted by Nostlagic:
“I recently bought a mobile from Tesco. Their prices are extortionate, it's like 15p a minute and 25p a text! also unexplained chunks go missing from my credit, and before you know it, my £10 is gone, it's a rip-off. I want to switch networks, is there any others that are more affordable?”

Have you looked at tescos pay monthly tariff?

For £7.50 you can get 500 mins with 5000 text or a tenner with data.

Also is your mobile locked to Tesco or is it unlocked?
grumpyoldbat
19-05-2014
Originally Posted by Nostlagic:
“I recently bought a mobile from Tesco. Their prices are extortionate, it's like 15p a minute and 25p a text! also unexplained chunks go missing from my credit, and before you know it, my £10 is gone, it's a rip-off. I want to switch networks, is there any others that are more affordable?”

Bit in Bold - you said you've got a Samsung Galaxy Ace - if you have any apps or widgets that update in the background that will be using your credit for data.

Unless you've switched off cellular data, which is on by default, that will explain your money "going missing".
BMR
19-05-2014
Originally Posted by grumpyoldbat:
“Bit in Bold - you said you've got a Samsung Galaxy Ace - if you have any apps or widgets that update in the background that will be using your credit for data.

Unless you've switched off cellular data, which is on by default, that will explain your money "going missing".”

Yes switch off mobile data from the pull down menu on the home screen. That will stop that happening.

For straight up pay as you go Threes rates look about as cheap as you can get.

Getting yr phone unlocked will cost around a tenner from a market stall.
petef
19-05-2014
My site http://petef.22web.org/payg.html has a comprehensive list of PAYG tariffs. As others have said 3 is the cheapest but may not have coverage to suit you.
DevonBloke
19-05-2014
Originally Posted by grumpyoldbat:
“Bit in Bold - you said you've got a Samsung Galaxy Ace - if you have any apps or widgets that update in the background that will be using your credit for data.

Unless you've switched off cellular data, which is on by default, that will explain your money "going missing".”

Originally Posted by BMR:
“Yes switch off mobile data from the pull down menu on the home screen. That will stop that happening.

For straight up pay as you go Threes rates look about as cheap as you can get.

Getting yr phone unlocked will cost around a tenner from a market stall.”

Damn it, I was going to be clever and say that!!
Nostlagic
19-05-2014
Originally Posted by rocketronnie75:
“Have you looked at tescos pay monthly tariff?

For £7.50 you can get 500 mins with 5000 text or a tenner with data.

Also is your mobile locked to Tesco or is it unlocked?”

Yeah Tesco is good for monthly tariffs, but i don't use it as much to go through all those minutes and texts. Will just put a tenner in it and that should do me a few months on a cheapo network for the little amount of time i use it.

Originally Posted by grumpyoldbat:
“Bit in Bold - you said you've got a Samsung Galaxy Ace - if you have any apps or widgets that update in the background that will be using your credit for data.

Unless you've switched off cellular data, which is on by default, that will explain your money "going missing".”

Ah i remember not long after i got it, i went online and it ate up the remainder of my credit in no time, over 5 quid and getting a message "You've maxed out your data for today, but you can browse free for the rest of the day!" Enraged i was i then discovered the hidden pull down menu and the GPS was on... didn't realise i had to set it to Wi-Fi, doh!

But yes, the updates going on in the background does explain the missing credit prior to the GPS discovery, should've known!

Originally Posted by BMR:
“Yes switch off mobile data from the pull down menu on the home screen. That will stop that happening.

For straight up pay as you go Threes rates look about as cheap as you can get.

Getting yr phone unlocked will cost around a tenner from a market stall.”

Have done so, learned from my mistakes there lol.

Only around a tenner? Nice one. Fearing it would cost as much as the phone did!

Will go with Three then after i find someone to unlock it. Cheers everyone
ard100
20-05-2014
Wow what a excellent web site shows all the rates from all the mvno it shows how expensive the main networks are apart from 3 who are cheap


Originally Posted by petef:
“My site http://petef.22web.org/payg.html has a comprehensive list of PAYG tariffs. As others have said 3 is the cheapest but may not have coverage to suit you.”

ard100
20-05-2014
Tesco mobile payg also have a lite tariff calls are 8p per min on that you can switch over to that while you get your phone unlocked,

CO-OP is a very good mvno you get EE 2g & 3g coverage and soon 4g then you can mix and match data call and text bundles.

3 is the best but can not use them do to no signal here,
BMR
20-05-2014
Are Tesco doing the Lite Tariff again?

For a while it was closed to new members- is it available again?
Nostlagic
24-06-2014
One more question. If i unlock my phone which was on Tesco, and switched to 3, what would happen to my remaining Tesco credit, would it be transferred over?
wavejockglw
24-06-2014
Originally Posted by Nostlagic:
“One more question. If i unlock my phone which was on Tesco, and switched to 3, what would happen to my remaining Tesco credit, would it be transferred over?”

No they are entirely separate accounts. Use your existing credit and then switch and put credit on your new SIM card. Have a look at LycaMobile, GiffGaff and TalkMobile as they offer some attractive PAYG deals also.
Neil_N
24-06-2014
GiffGaff or even White Mobile.
Mc256
24-06-2014
Originally Posted by d123:
“Tesco PAYG is 10p per text...”

They also double your credit on pay as u go top up £10 get £ 20 credit although time limit on the free £10 but this is used first, excellent value.
Zee_Bukhari
24-06-2014
As others have said, Three's PAYG 1p/Mb 2p/text and 3p/per call is the cheapest in the UK.

If you ever find your needs go up in the future Three also offer great PAYG all in one bundles.
Glawster2002
24-06-2014
Originally Posted by wavejockglw:
“No they are entirely separate accounts. Use your existing credit and then switch and put credit on your new SIM card. Have a look at LycaMobile, GiffGaff and TalkMobile as they offer some attractive PAYG deals also.”

Originally Posted by Neil_N:
“GiffGaff or even White Mobile.”

I'm moving to giffgaff now.

I don't really use much voice so £12 for 250 voice minutes, unlimited Texts and unlimited Internet is ideal for me.

giffgaff goodybags

They also get a very high rating from Which? subscribers.
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